


Crave

by JustSomeGirl92



Series: Want [4]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: ABO dynamics, Alpha!Keith, Alpha!Shiro, Angst, Handcuffed, Happy Ending, If you read anything else in the series you know what happens, Kidnapping, M/M, Mob AU, Omega!Matt, mentions of abuse, told from Keith's perspective
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-03
Updated: 2018-05-03
Packaged: 2019-05-01 19:52:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14527965
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustSomeGirl92/pseuds/JustSomeGirl92
Summary: Matt and Shiro's first meeting is anything but normal. When Shiro takes over the business from his father and starts cleaning house, the last thing he expects to find is the love of his life. But, when he and Kieth take a quick detour to one of his warehouses, Shiro is confronted with a something that will haunt him for the rest of his life.





	Crave

Keith watched Shiro closely as they left the funeral. 

His own lack of tears and emotionality were to be expected. After all, his adoptive father had been more of an employer than an actual father figure. Yes, Keith was sad to lose one of the few people he could count as being close with but the fact was he hadn’t been a particularly good person. Keith would have felt a lot different had he lost his adoptive brother. 

Shiro had always been kind to him, right from the start. Unlike his father, Shiro was generally a good person even if there were many people out there who might not agree. Shiro was warm and welcome to people he liked but to most everyone else he wouldn't spare a second thought. His upbringing probably had something to do with that. Keith had been told by Mr. Shirogane more than once that if someone wasn’t useful to you there was no point wasting your time with them. Perhaps if Shiro’s mother had lived longer, had more interactions with her son, he may have been as sweet and kind hearted as her. 

Not that Keith had ever met her himself but the way Shiro talked about her, she had been the most beautiful woman in the world, both inside and out. Having seen a photo of the slim omega with wide, bright eyes and an infectious smile, Keith was willing to agree with him on that. 

It was the one point that Shiro clashed with his father on the most. The way omegas in his employ were treated. 

As was common for many alphas in his circle and tax bracket, Mr. Shirogane had bought his omega. He didn’t just buy some of her time for a few hours, he had the means to buy her entirely, something easily done if you had enough money and knew who to ask. 

Shiro said she had been relatively happy living in his father’s house. She had an entire wing to herself and anything she ever could have wanted. She had money to buy a new outfit everyday, keys to several cars and the most lavish garden in the state. But she had been lonely. 

Shiro stayed with her when he was young, hardly ever seeing his father. Until Mr. Shirogane decided that her coddling would make him too soft and he needed to start learning the family business. She’d passed away not long after that. Shiro still blamed his father, saying her loneliness had caused it. 

Not that his father seemed to care. He had gotten what he wanted from her more or less. An easy companion for several years and a healthy young alpha to carry on the family business. Keith could understand why Shiro was so bitter. 

Over time Shiro began to conceded with his father. He stopped asking about the things he didn’t want to know. The illegal selling and trading of omegas most notably. While there was a lot of fairly common practices, similar to mail order brides, there was also an underground black market where these omegas were not exactly willing nor were they bought as anything close to a ‘partner’. 

It became a ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’  topic but now, with his father gone, Shiro was responsible for all of it. Keith wasn’t sure what he was going to do but he’d expected his brother to be taking more time to grieve before making any huge decisions. He should have known Shiro better though. He didn’t like to stop or take a break when he could keep pushing, almost afraid that he wouldn't be able to get back up again if he did. 

“What are you going to do now?” Keith asked carefully. 

Shiro spared a glance at the younger alpha in the passenger seat. “Start running the family business.”

“What are you planning to do first?”

“Weed out anyone who thinks they don’t have to take me as seriously as they did my father,” Shiro shrugged one shoulder. 

“They’re not gonna like that you’re shutting down the black market omega trade,” Keith raised one eyebrow, baiting his big brother. 

“Nope,” Shiro agreed. He tried but wasn’t successful in stopping the small smirk. “But that’s why I’ve got you, isn’t it?”

XXXX

Keith followed Shiro everywhere, engaging in a lot more footwork than usual. 

Shiro didn’t want to rely solely on reports he was getting about how business was doing within the many elements his business. Now that it was all his responsibility, he wanted to show that he wasn’t content to sit at his father’s desk and give orders, he was going to make sure that they were followed and that the information he was getting was accurate. It wouldn't be considered rare for some of the people previously in his father’s employ to get a little bolder in their attempts to skim a little off the top for themselves. So far, his presence alone had been enough for everyone to straighten up, realising that their new boss was not going to be fooled or cut them any slack. 

Today was more of the same, on their way to some meeting or other that Keith hadn’t totally been paying attention to. Shiro just wanted to make a quick stop at one of the warehouses to check it out. 

They assumed it would be a quickly in and out, not much more than five minutes. After all, it was just a warehouse. 

There were two men standing around outside, betas both of them. They were smoking, leaning up against the side of the building. They tensed as Keith and Shiro approached but seeing who it was, they relaxed again, nodding in acknowledgment. 

Keith and Shiro both waved off the offers for a cigarette. The men eyed them as though waiting for something, some sort of reaction. Keith didn’t like it. Shiro didn’t seem to either. With one look from his brother, Keith watched the other men hunch in on themselves, shoulders raised and averted their gazes. The man who let them into the warehouse seemed surprised, then nervous. He shrugged one shoulder as he stepped aside. 

It was the smell that hit Keith first. He didn’t even have time to take a proper look at the building before he was doubling over. 

The anguished scent of a scarred omega was like a solid wall that almost winded him. Keith could hear something going on, yelling. He could feel his body reacting to the scent, his alpha instincts kicking in, instincts to protect and comfort, wanting to make this rancid smell stop, make it go away. Then the anger hit him and gave him the strength he needed to straighten up. 

Shiro must have reacted a lot quicker than Keith had. The man that had let them in was on the ground, Keith was pretty sure he wasn’t dead but he sort of looked like it. 

Two more were groaning and Shiro was on top of the fourth man, still hitting him. Keith moved further into the empty warehouse, peering around the dark space. With the bit of light that was streaming in through the window, Keith couldn't make out much in the darkness of the back of the building. 

“Shiro,” Keith grabbed his brother’s shoulder. Shiro whipped around, fixing the burning glare on Keith. The smaller alpha held up his hands, eyes wide and backed up a step. Shiro’s eyes flashed in recognition but the tension in his body didn’t diminish at all. Keith blinked at this response. He’d seen Shiro in a lot of fights but he never looked like this. It wasn’t that Shiro didn’t like fighting, in fact he usually took any chance he could get for violence, but he never went this far. 

Choosing not to mention the behaviour, Keith instead pointed into the darkness, indicating the scent of the omega that was getting stronger the closer they got. Shiro gave him a look that Keith didn’t know how to interpret before turning and squinting into the darkness. 

Keith took the opportunity to really watch Shiro’s features. He was clearly pissed and Keith definitely understood that but he’d never been nervous of his adoptive brother before in his life. He was the only one who could always talk shit to Shiro and get nothing worse than the occasional noogie. At the moment Keith was very wary of making the wrong move. Now he knew how Shiro’s subordinates felt and why they always gave him that look when he walked into the room.

Keith waited for Shiro to lead the way before following, careful to keep a few feet back. 

The sight was something that Keith was certain he was never going to forget. 

The first thing he saw was the huge iron spike nailed into the concrete floor. He followed the thick chain attached to it all the way to a bare mattress on the floor about a foot away. He knew this was the omega they had smelled. 

He wasn’t looking at them, curled up on the mattress with his back against the wall, as far from them as he could get. His shoulders were hunched over his ears, head down. All Keith could see was a mop of brown hair. A thin blanket was covering him, clutched in one shackled fist. 

Keith stood back, watching Shiro take a few steps forwards. Still he hadn’t said anything. 

The omega whimpered when he heard Shiro’s feet come closer, hunching further in on himself. Shiro stopped at the sound. He was so still Keith squinted to see if he was even breathing. They all waited in silence. 

Some of the tension in the omega’s shoulders lessened and he turned his head as though wanting to look but scared to do so. Shiro slowly crouched down, each movement careful. Keith took another step back, watching closely but feeling like he was intruding on something. 

After another few moments of silence, the omega lifted his head, blinking large brown eyes at them. Keith’s eyes had adjusted a bit, at least enough to mostly make out his features. He looked young but older than Keith. The scent of fear was slowly becoming less sharp. 

“Hi.”

Shiro’s voice was so quiet that Keith would have missed it at any other time. However, the warehouse was currently so silent that it was almost like a firecracker going off. 

The omega just blinked at him. They stared at each other for a long time, Keith becoming uncomfortable and looking away. 

“We’re not going to hurt you,” Shiro said again in that same soft, comforting tone. It was a sound that came from low in his chest, rumbling like a purr. Keith had heard this sort of voice only once before in his life, the sound of an alpha comforting an omega. He’d never heard it from Shiro. Keith became suddenly more uncomfortable, crossing his arms over his chest. 

The movement caught the omega’s eye and he turning quickly to Kieth, eyes wide and fearful. Keith tried to look reassuring. He opened his mouth to speak but Shiro caught his eye. It seem like he’d forgotten all about Keith being there. 

“Keith?” He said, nodding to the door. He gave his little brother a look that clearly conveyed the instructions he wanted to give him without having to say a word. 

Keith nodded, heading to the door and pulling out his phone. 

Finally out in the fresh air, Keith leaned against the door of the warehouse, taking in a deep breath. The tight feeling in his chest was fading. The men who had been out here had long since disappeared. Keith was vaguely aware that one of the men who had been inside was limping off, clutching his head. Keith watched him go, running their names and faces through his head as he brought the cell to his ear. 

XXXX

The paramedics had arrived about ten minutes ago. Keith had stopped them from going right into the warehouse. He wasn’t sure how Shiro or the omega would react to that. 

Instead he briefed them on the situation and they waited for Shiro to come out. 

When he did he was carrying the omega, cradling the other man against him, Shiro’s suit jacket was able to cover him at least better than the blanket had. He hid his face in Shiro’s shoulder when the bright sunlight hit his eyes. Keith wondered exactly how long he’d been in that dark warehouse for. 

Shiro stayed close by after gently depositing the omega onto the stretcher and the paramedics began giving him a quick once over. 

“You gonna ride with your friend?” One of the paramedics asked, a short beta with warm brown eyes, her dark hair pulled into a tight bun. “Sorry but only one of you can come with us.” She gave Keith an apologetic look but he only nodded, looking to Shiro.

The older alpha looked from the paramedic to the omega who blinked at Shiro, tilting his head questioningly before giving a small nod. Shiro didn’t need to be told twice. He was already following the paramedics into the ambulance and taking a seat next to the omega. 

“I’ll meet you at the hospital,” Keith said loudly enough to get through Shiro’s clearly clouded mind. He caught sight of his big brother nodding vaguely, reaching out to lay a hand over the omega’s. 

XXXX

By the time Keith got there, the omega was settled in one of the rooms, asleep. Keith knocked before entering cautiously. 

He wasn’t surprised to see that he was in a private room and he wasn’t surprised to see Shiro still holding the omega’s hand either. Keith tried to get a better look at his face, it seemed vaguely familiar.

“Shiro?” Keith asked tentatively. He stood on the other side of the bed, still an arm’s length away. Shiro looked up at him with an expression similar to what Keith had seen when he was in the ambulance. 

As he looked at Keith, he seemed to snap out of it, coming back to himself and realising his strange behaviour. Shiro glanced at the omega again, withdrawing his hand with thinly disguised reluctance. Keith widely decided not to mention anything. 

“Keith,” Shiro said as he stood. “We should be going. We still have to deal with the warehouse.”

“I’ve already got someone on it,” Keith replied, holding up his cell phone. Shiro glanced at the device before nodding. 

“You’re not going to stay?” Keith asked, watching Shiro pass him and make for the door. 

Shiro stopped, not looking over his shoulder, hand still on the doorknob. “No. They contacted his family. They’re coming soon. He’ll be asleep for a few hours so he won’t wake up until they get here.”

Something about the way Shiro spoke, like he was reassuring Keith that this omega wouldn’t be scared and alone if they left him here, made it painfully obvious that Shiro didn’t want to be away. 

“We could wait until they-”

“Let’s go.” Shiro cut him off, already out the door and not waiting for Keith. The younger alpha glanced back at the bed before hurrying after his brother. He was pretty sure Shiro didn’t look back because he knew that if he did, he wasn’t leaving. 

The two were silent as they made their way to the parking garage. Shiro led the way there but realised he didn’t know where Keith parked. Silently, Keith took the lead. They didn’t speak until they were both in the car. 

“What’s his name?” Keith finally asked, glancing at Shiro from the corner of his eye. 

“Matt.”

XXXX

Shiro continued to go to the hospital and visit Matt over the next several days. Keith never said anything but he knew where Shiro was going and would often come to the hospital if he needed to get a hold of his brother. . 

It didn’t take a genius to realize that Shiro was feeling something for this omega. It wasn’t pity and it wasn’t only the guilt that people in his organization had been responsible for Matt’s kidnapping and abuse although that was clearly there. 

Keith didn’t ask what happened to those men after he’d given Shiro their names. All Keith knew was that he never saw them again. It was best he didn’t ask. 

Keith didn’t hold any qualms about who his brother was and what he was capable of but as he watched Shiro interact with Matt, he could see his brother softening more and more. He wasn’t the only one to notice it either. 

“Ugh, are they still making eyes at each other?” 

Keith nearly jumped at the voice that came from somewhere near his elbow. Glancing down he saw a short girl, an almost identical version of Matt, just in miniature. Keith blinked at her. 

The girl adjusting her glasses and moved her coffee to her opposite hand, holding it out for Keith. Still staring at her, he shook the girl’s hand. 

“I’m Katie. You can call me Pidge. Matt’s sister,” she introduced herself before shoving her hand into her hoodie pocket. 

“Keith,” he answered. “Shiro’s brother.”

The girl nodded, turning back to look into the window placed in the middle of the door. 

“Thanks,” she said. It was so soft that Keith wasn’t sure if it was Pidge who’d spoken or not. 

He turned and blinked at her. 

“For finding him,” Pidge elaborated, looking up at Keith. “Thank you.”

He nodded. “Of course.”

The stood there a while longer, neither of them wanting to interrupt their brothers. Neither of them minding the quiet. 

XXXX

“He gave you his number, he wants you to call him,” Keith sighed. 

“I know, but it’s weird,” Shiro groaned. 

Keith stared at him. “What. The hell. Are you talking about?”

“What if he was just being nice about it and actually wants me to leave him alone?” Shiro actually looked sheepish under Keith’s glare. The younger alpha groaned loudly, flopping his head back against the sofa. 

“Just call him!” Keith growled, kicking at Shiro’s legs. Of course that only succeeded in starting a wrestling match between them until they were rolling around on the floor, growling and laughing. 

They finally stopped when they were both laying there, out of breath. 

“But seriously,” Shiro whined. It was so unalpha like and so unshiro like that Keith sat up and stared at him with an annoyed expression. 

“Are you fucking kidding me,”Keith groaned, rolling his eyes at his big brother. “Stop being such a wimp and text him!”

“But what if-”

“What if this guy gave you his number and is hoping that you’ll call him?” Keith cut Shiro off quickly. “What if he’s just sitting at home, wondering why the alpha he thought liked him is just totally ignoring him, huh? You’re making him feel bad!”

Shiro’s eyes widened as he sat up and looked over at Keith. “But I didn’t want to-”

“Too late, he feels like shit now, Shiro. Way to be an asshole!” Keith cut him off again. “Wow, way to lead him on and then not even check up on him and see if he’s okay.”

“Keith…” Shiro whined again, brow furrowing. 

Keith stubbornly crossed his arms and shook his head. “Sorry, don’t know what you want me to do about it. Unless you want me to text him for you.”

Shiro looked contrite as he pulled out his phone. Keith watched him as he typed, deleted it, typed again, stared at the phone, deleted it, typed something, bit his lip…

“Ug!” Keith huffed. “Just ask him how he’s doing!” Keith commanded pointing at the phone. “Do it!”

Shiro bit his lip and hunched his shoulders but did as he was told. He hesitated over the send button until Keith made a move to snatch the phone away. 

“Hey! Okay, okay,” Shiro exclaimed, hitting send. He let out a breath ad set his phone down on the coffee table. 

“Good job,” Keith said, patting the other alpha’s shoulder with a grin. 

Shiro only groaned. 

A moment later, his phone chimed and Shiro’s head popped up. “That was..fast…”

“Told you he was waiting for you to message him,” Keith said, sounding quite pleased with himself. He snatched the phone, quickly reading the message and sending one back before tossing it to Shiro. 

“What the fuck was that!?” the larger alpha demanded, jumping to his feet, phone clutched in his hand as he stared at it. 

Keith stood and stretched leisurely, loping out the door. “You have a coffee date with him tomorrow. Have fun.”

XXXX

Coffee went well. 

Keith could tell from the look on Shiro’s face as he came in the house. His big brother didn’t say anything as he flopped onto the couch beside Keith with a sigh. 

“Well?” Keith cut his eyes over to Shiro briefly but brought them right back to the laptop on his knees. “You gonna make me guess?”

“Guess what?” Shiro asked, blinking at him as though he hadn’t been fully aware that Keith was there. 

“How was coffee?!” Keith exclaimed. He closed his laptop and focused his whole attention on Shiro. It might be a little more effort than he thought to extract this information from him. 

“It was...good,” Shiro flushed in a way that told Keith it was better than good. 

“Okay…” Keith said, waiting for more. Shiro turned his face away and Keith groaned.

“Come  _ on _ ! Just tell me already! Did you kiss him? Are you gonna mark him?” Shiro sat up straight. “Keith!”

“What? I’m just asking,” Keith crossed his arms and huffed. 

Shiro sighed and sat up. “Fine, this is what happened…”

The date had started...not so good. They were awkward around each other. Things had been so easy at the hospital. Their conversation flowed and Shiro’s steady presence had been so comforting to Matt. But now they didn’t even seem to be able to look at each other. 

They went over small talk, Matt asking about Keith and Shiro asking after Matt’s little sister. Until they were conversing about the weather. 

That was when Matt had sighed and smiled ruefully at Shiro. “Look, I realise I may have...read this wrong. I think it would be best if you’re just honest with me rather than waste both of our time and make this uncomfortable.”

Shiro had blinked at him, not comprehending. 

“I...like you, I guess? I know that might be weird after...everything. I admit I thought it was kinda mutual. You were giving off the protective alpha vibe and everything and then when you texted me…” Matt trailed off, looking up from where he’d been spinning his coffee cup in circles between his hands. “But I get if you were just feeling guilty about the whole….situation since theses guys like worked for you or whatever.”

Shiro opened his mouth to say something, to dispute it. He did feel bad but that had nothing to do with why he was here. If it was just guilt, he would have paid Matt off or something. 

“You don’t need to feel bad,” Matt cut him off and continued on. “I get that this had nothing to do with you. I don’t really understand it but I get that it was something they tried to do behind your back so I don't blame you and you shouldn’t hold yourself accountable. I just...think you should be honest with me?” 

It came out as a question, one that Shiro found himself agreeing with. “Of course,” the alpha nodded. 

There was an awkward silence as the omega looked at him. 

“Well?” Matt asked.

“Well..” Shiro blinked. “I...I am being honest. I still feel guilty. I probably will forever but that’s not why I’m here. I do like you. I just...don’t want you to feel pressured after everything you went through and...I don’t want you to just chose me as your alpha because you’re feeling scared and vulnerable right now and just want someone to protect you.”

It was Matt’s turn to look surprised. Shiro seemed almost sheepish, his shoulders hunched to make himself seem smaller in a show of submission. Something completely out of character but at the same time, incredibly endearing. 

Matt smiled, reaching out a hand and laying it over Shiro’s larger one. “That wasn’t really my mindset at all,” he admitted. “But I do see where you’re coming from.”

Shiro seemed to relax, looking relieved. He glanced down at their hands before meeting the omega’s eyes again. He waited, listening. 

“Look, why don’t we just take things slow? Get to know each other for awhile before we do anything,” Matt suggested. He tilted his head, looking at Shiro with that wide smile. “I don’t think I’m really ready for anything too….” The omega trailed off with a blush. 

“That’s fine!” Shiro jumped in quickly, almost startling Matt. “I mean, uh...I mean I understand and I like the idea of...of taking things slow…” He flushed, embarrassed. He knew that it might be difficult not to listen to his instincts telling him to be protective over Matt but he didn’t want to rush things either. 

“Great! Good! Uh…” Matt seemed just as embarrassed, the two of them looking away in a blushing mess before the omega cleared his throat. “So uh...does that mean you’d be cool with another date sometime next week?”

“Of course!” Shiro was quickly to agree, jumping at the offer.

Matt laughed and the alpha just stared at him for a moment. It sounded like music and he wanted to hear it for the rest of his life. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> So, just to be clear this is when Matt finds out that he became pregnant but his body was under so much strain he lost the baby. He never told Shiro about it until later when they were trying for a baby and the doctor notices that there has been some trauma to his reproductive system as a result of the abuse and subsequent miscarriage. I'm assuming if you read this you've read the rest of the series where that is mentioned.


End file.
